Railroad-switch stand



(No Model.)

W. L. KING. Railroad Switch Stand.

Patented June 14,1881.

a" gig I 'Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. WILLIAM L. KING, OF RAVENNA, OHIO.

RAILROAD-SWITCH STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,779, dated June 14, 1881.

Application filed January 7, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. KING, of Ravenna, in the county of Portage and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Switch Stand, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of railroadswitch stands wherein the stand proper is composed of an upright column having the signalrod centered in bearings therein and adapted to be rotated by a laterally-swinging lever riding on the top of the column.

As ordinarily constructed, the lower end of the signaLrod is formed with a crank, to which the switch-rod of the rails is connected, the bearing-arm of the crank projectingdownward, and the rod being held thereon and supported vertically by a key passed through the arm, beneath the eye of such rod. The switch-stand thus connected is defective in several important particularsto wit:

First, the flange or base by which the stand is bolted to the tie is formed on one side of the column, and the weight of the latter, including the signal and switch-rods, acts as a lever, which, after short usage, tends to tear the I flange from its support.- This difficulty is increased by the strain upon the shifting-lever, which, together with its guide, is at the top of the column on the side opposite the supportin g-flan ge. Thus the strain in shifting the switch-rails is combined with the weight of the column and its attachments to loosen the flange and pull the stand from the tie.

Second, as the shifting-lever is on that side of the stand next the switch-rod, the switchman must place himself directly in the way of the rod, or else he must perform his work at considerable disadvantage.

Third, as the switch-rod is held up by a key at the end of the crank-arm on the signal-rod, it can be readily removed by slipping out the key, and the switch-rails shifted without changing the signal, and if the stand has been thus tampered with it cannot be detected by the engineer of a passing train, because the stand column is inelosed on all sides, and the joints are therefore covered.

Fourth, owing to the necessity in such stands of casting the bearings for the signalrod within the column, they cannot be reached for repairs nor made adjustable, and therefore,

(No model.)

when either the hearings or rod become so worn as to produce an excess of lost motion, the whole stand is rendered worthless and must be thrown aside. As these parts are most used, they wear very rapidly, while the rest of the stand is comparatively perfect, and as the whole stand is thrown away when thus worn and must be replaced by new ones, the extent of their use is greatly disproportioned to the expense of supplying them.

My invention has for its object to overcome or avoid these defects.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved switch-stand. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top-plan view; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The precise nature of the various features of my invention will be fully apparent from the following description and claims.

A represents the standard, made in the general form of a semi-cylinder, having a. large base-flange, B, and a segmental top flange, O, on its convex side, one above the other. The base-flange is bolted to the tie D for securing the stand in place, andthe top flange serves as a guide for the shifting-lever. The opposite or convex side of the standard is entirely open, and is provided at the top and bottom with half-boxes e,to which correspondinghalf-boxes, f, are bolted for the purpose of forming bearings for the central upright rod, E, carrying the signal. The rod is provided with collars it above such boxes, to prevent it slipping through them, and the other half-boxes f rest upon flanges 6 formed on the standard to prevent them from slipping or bearin g downward upon the bolts.

The lower end of the signal-rod is formed with a crank, J, having an upturned crank pin or arm, K, over which the eye of the switchrod L is fitted so as to rest upon the crank,

and in this position it is held by a key passed through the crank-pin above the switch-rod. Thus the switch-rod is prevented from dropping down, and to prevent it from being lifted off the crank-pin without removing the signalrod from its bearings a segmental guard, M, is clamped between the parts of the lower box, to extend outward over the path of the crankpin. By this provision the connection between the signal-rod and switch-rod cannot easily be broken, and the switch is therefore protected against displacement by carelessness or design. Neither can the signal-rod be lifted out of its bearings, because the guard lies directly in the path of the crank-pin.

When the signal rod or boxes become worn, the half-boxes f are set up to compensate for the wear, and, if necessary, these half-boxes can be replaced by new ones at any time. Thus these Wearing parts may be continued in use as long as the other parts of the stand are capable of use, as already set forth.

The signal-rod and its connection, being placed wholly on the open side of the standard, are in full view of the engineer on a passing train, so that he can at a glance determine the exact condition of the stand and all its parts.

N is the switch-lever, firmly attached to the signal-rod to project over the top flange, C, and provided with the pivoted locking-bar O, to engage with notches in the edges of the flanges in the usual manner. As this lever, together with the top flange, is placed on the convex side of the stand, above the base-flan ge, the Weight and strain are exerted to hold the stand down to the tie, instead of tearing it loose therefrom, while the location of the lever on one'side of the stand and switch-rod on the other side enables the switchman to operate the lever to the best advantage, and to properly observe the throw of the switch without placing himself in the way of the switchrod.

By my improvements the switch-stand can be operated between the tracks of a railroad, as ground-switches are now used, or placed beside a track in the usual way.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of adjustable boxes 0 and supporting-flangesi with the signal-rod E and open side of the standard, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the collars h, the adj ustable boxes 6 f, and the flanges t' with the signal-rod E and standard A, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

3. The combination of the collars h, the adjustable boxes, and the guard M with the standard, the signal-rod,and the switch-rod, to prevent the signal-rod from dropping down into a position for disconnecting said rods and from being lifted up for the same purpose, substantially as described,for the purposes specified.

4.. The combination of the collars h, the adjustable boxes 0 f, flanges t, and the guard M wit-h the standard A, the signal-rod E, and the switch-rod, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. A switch-stand for railroads, consisting of a column, A, open on one side, and with a base-flange, B, and top guide-flange, 0, on the opposite side, a signal-rod, E, carrying the switch-rod and shifting-lever N, and arranged in adjustable bearings e f in the open side of the stand, and a guard, M, on the open side, to prevent the switch-rod from being slipped off the crank J of the signal-rod, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

6. The combination of the upturned crankpin on the signal-rod and the guard over said pin with the switch-rod, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.

7. The combination of the adjustable bearings ef, the segmental guard M, provided with flanges, by which the same is attached to the standard A, and the crank of the signal-rod E, substantially as described.

WVILLIAM L. KING.

Witnesses:

J AS. J. Mum, J AMES R. MACK. 

